Molly McNearney: Top 10 Facts You Need To Know

It’s official! Jimmy Kimmel has moved on from f**king Ben Affleck! The former Man Show host and current host of Jimmy Kimmel Live announced he plans to tie the knot with head writer Molly McNearney. Kimmel has admitted to the press that McNearney is the first serious girlfriend he has had since his relationship with comedian Sarah Silverman.

McNearney is fairly unknown in the celebrity-verse so we did some diggin’ up to find the top 10 facts you need to know about the lady who tamed one of the two manliest men of all time.

1. She Accepted Kimmel’s Proposal on Safari

Kimmel popped the question during a vacation in South Africa’s Kruger National Forest — or as I like to call it getting engaged “Lion King style.”

2. She’s the Only Woman Writing for Kimmel

This is an impressive feat if you consider that Kimmel was the host of the Man Show for four years with co-host Adam Carolla, who was famously quoted saying that “dudes are funnier than chicks.” So how does McNearney feel about women in the comedy industry?
“I think that today it’s almost like a non-topic because women have obviously proven they’re funny and anyone would suggest otherwise is an idiot,” said McNearney in a 2011 interview with Splitsider. Awkward.

3. She Made President Obama Laugh

McNearney was one of the writers for Kimmel when he hosted the White House Correspondents’ dinner. The dinner went down as one of the funniest correspondents’ dinner in recent history. “Mr. President, I know you won’t be able to laugh about the Secret Service so cover your ears … if that’s possible.” Check out the rest above.

4. She Worked Her Way to the Top
McNearney moved from Chicago to Los Angeles where she worked in ad sales until she moved over to work as an assistant to the executive producer. She worked there for eight years, switching over to be a writer’s assistant. After six years she was promoted to a writer and then after two years she was made into a co-head writer with Gary Greenberg.

5. She Cried When Johnny Carson Went Off Air
Although McNearney didn’t originally want to get into comedy, she did love Johnny Carson. During a panel session with the Writers Guild of America, McNearney admitted that she cried after the legendary late-night host left his post to be replaced by Jay Leno. I know the feeling, I cried like a widow during the last episode of Terra Nova.

6. McNearney Was Kimmel’s Rebound
Kimmel had been going out with Sarah Silverman for five years before they broke up in March 2009. The two had famously been dating on and off during their stint but ended things on a good note. Silverman admitted that there was still love in the relationship but not enough for it to continue on. A few months later Kimmel started to date McNearney and the rest is history.

7. Her Brother Delivered the Baby With the Greatest Name of All Time

My brother is a doctor & delivered a baby named Y’all-Jealous Jones today. This is not a joke. Y’ALL JEALOUS JONES. My brother wins 2012.

Although Molly does do standup, she claims to be more partial to improv comedy. She was trained at the legendary Second City Theater, which houses famous alumni like Tina Fey, Will Ferrell and Chris Farley. After her time in Chicago she moved to L.A. and became a performer at IO West.

10. She’ll Be Kimmel’s Second Wife
This will not be Jimmy’s first trip to the altar. Jimmy was married in in 1998 to Gina Kimmel, a marriage that lasted until early 2002, shortly before Kimmel started to date Sarah Silverman. Kimmel has two kids from his first marriage: Katie, who was born in 1991, and Kevin, who was born in 1993.